don't be ridiculous
by FluffyChipmunk
Summary: Bella doesn't believe in love, but I think I do.


Bella doesn't believe in romantic love. She never has, and I don't think she ever will. She's just not that type of person, and the man she's bound to marry isn't that type of person either. I don't know if I believe in love. I know I love Bella and Cissy and Reggie and Sirius more than anything in the world, but that isn't the same. In novels, love means you would do anything for that person. They're the most important person in the world when you love them.

It certainly sounds stupid when I think about it. No wonder Bella doesn't believe in it.

I fiddle with my quill, trying to write my essay for Professor Binns. 32 inches of parchment about the numerous inventors of Self-Stirring Cauldrons throughout magical history. Next week, it's all about the Medieval Assembly of European Wizards. Truly interesting stuff, I know.

"Are you writing to Cissy?" Bella asks, peering over my shoulder. I lean back to let her read some of it, and she recoils in disgust. "Are you sure you don't want me to get someone else to do this for you?"

"I'm sure." I say. I like doing my own work. Looking at the parchment I have laid out, I wonder how Binns has the time to read all of these. Though I suppose being a ghost doesn't lend itself to having many hobbies. "It's such rubbish that Binns is making first years write all of this."

"Uh-huh."

I hear Bella flop onto my bed. She's probably reading some book she stole from the library. That's all she and Rodolphus are doing

I yawn. It's nearly one. All of my roommates have already gone to bed, and I can barely see the words on the parchment. I have no idea how Bella stays up this late every night. Maybe it's just because she's older.

But I need to get this essay finished. I hear Bella closing the door to my dorm. I bet she's going to sneak out with Rodolphus or something. She better not get caught by a professor again or else Father will take both of us out of Hogwarts.

I fall asleep with two sentences of my essay written.

* * *

I wake up to the sound of Nymphadora crying for the third time this night. Ted's mother warned me about this phase; it doesn't make the experience any better, though. I'm absolutely exhausted, and Ted is off at work in the Ministry. But I still crawl out of bed to quiet her.

The moment I come into the room she stops crying. The little prick.

"Really, Dora?" I say, looking down into the crib. I touch her hair. A faded turquoise tonight. It's a little bit rough in texture, like Ted's. But she has my face, I think. The Black face.

Touching a finger to her nose, I whisper, "I love you."

* * *

It's my first week at Hogwarts, and I force Bella to show me where everything is, so I don't get lost. She would rather be in the library, giving herself access to the Restricted Section, but she still points to where Charms is and shows me which steps on which staircases to avoid. It would be unbecoming for a Black to ask for help, I can imagine Mother saying.

Even with Bella's advice, I'm standing at the staircases outside of the Charms classroom trying to remember which goes to the History of Magic. Left or right? Or maybe middle? Then suddenly, a body collides into me. I fall onto the ground, and Bella is suddenly there, grabbing the boy's tie and pointing a wand to his face.

"What do you think you're doing, Mudblood?"

"I accidentally bumped into that girl over there," he points to me, "I'm sorry, by the way."

She drops him onto the ground. He somehow manages to stay on his feet. A crowd is gathering around Bella. She can't get into trouble so early in the school year. I tug at her robe sleeve as I stand up. She glances at me for a moment.

"Mudblood," Bella spits at him before kicking his leg. She turns to me and asks, "Where are you going?"

Averting my eyes from the boy, I answer, "History of Magic, I can't remember which staircase leads to it."

"The one on the left. And can you tell Cissy in your letter that I won't have time to write to her for a couple of weeks?"

"Of course."

I still haven't finished my essay, but I can always hope Binns forgot about it.

* * *

I formally meet Ted Tonks in Transfiguration. McGonagall is trying her best to keep Rabastan and the Carrows quiet. Mother, when she went to Hogwarts, hated McGonagall. Mother's distaste whenever speaking her name always made Bella laugh. When Mother heard McGonagall was taking over Transfiguration at Hogwarts, she locked herself in her study, writing letters politely slandering the new professor to all her friends.

I scribble down a note about the formula and am reading through the textbook, trying to figure out how to turn a match into a needle when someone taps me on the shoulder.

"You're Andromeda, right? Can I borrow some parchment?"

Turning my head, I realize that this is the guy Bella kicked. I wonder if he

is a mudblood? I doubt Bella really knows. Funny, I thought for sure I would be able to tell. Well, if he really is a mudblood, I shouldn't interact with him. Rabastan would tell his mother and his mother would certainly tell my mother how Andromeda Black is interacting with a mudblood, better bring her back home for a little bit.

I try not to look him in the eyes.

"You okay?"

"Are you really a mublood?"

"Does it matter?"

He certainly sounds like a mudblood. Blood matters to the Blacks, and everyone knows that. The train of thought screeches to a halt once I realize that Professor McGonagall has turned her attention away from Rabastan. I jerk my head around and pretend to jot down a note.

"Mr. Tonks and Miss Black, would you like to share your conversation with the class?"

We both mutter a "no". I see Rabastan glance at me before asking to use the toilet.

* * *

It's seventh year, and the world feels lonely without Bella. She doesn't write to me anymore. Cissy's still here, but she doesn't talk to me anymore. Mother and Father have told me that if I don't stop associating with mudbloods, they'll take me out of Hogwarts.

Even with the threat, I'm seventeen years old. Old enough to make decisions for myself. Old enough to decide that Ted is worth angering my parents.

* * *

"You know, I fell in love the moment I saw you, Andy."

Ted says it on the first night Nymphadora is gone. She's off at Hogwarts, and for the first time in a while, we're alone together.

"Don't be ridiculous. Love at first sight doesn't exist."

"I thought magic didn't exist until I received a letter on my eleventh birthday."

"That's different, and you know it."

"Why would I lie to you?"

I sigh at his ridiculousness. I suppose this is how Bella felt when Cissy proclaimed her everlasting love for Lucius Malfoy. She had only seen him once, in a photo, when we she was eight. I giggle at the memory, and Ted looks at me.

"What's so funny?"

"I was just thinking of Bella and Cissy."

"Now? Andy, they've changed. They aren't who you remember."

"I know, but that doesn't erase all the memories."

"You know what? Let's not discuss this right now. Did I mention how I fell in love the moment I laid eyes on you?"

I shove at his shoulder, but my mind is still fixated on old memories of my sisters.

Then it flashes to Ted.

* * *

 **AN: For** **Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments) Forum.**

 **[Name]: Fei**

 **[House]: Ravenclaw**

 **[Subject/Task No.]: Performing Arts Task #3: Love at first sight**

 **[Title/Link]: don't be ridiculous**


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